Before you give notice: read your current agreement
Pull out the management agreement you signed and find four things before you say anything to the current manager.
Most agreements can be ended by either side with written notice, but the period and any fees vary. Some charge a termination fee. Some say that if a tenant they placed stays in the home, they keep a leasing fee or part of the monthly fee through the lease term. Knowing this ahead of time lets you pick the best date and avoid surprises.
- Termination notice period, and how notice must be delivered (email, letter, certified mail).
- Any termination fee or ongoing fee tied to a tenant they placed.
- What the agreement says about returning records, keys and funds when it ends.
- Whether the manager holds the security deposit in its own trust account, or passed it to you.
Pick a clean switch date
The easiest handoff lines up with the rent cycle. If notice ends on the last day of a month, the old manager collects and pays out that month's rent, and Rothrock collects from the 1st. A switch in the middle of a month can work, but someone has to settle who collected what, and tenants are more likely to pay the wrong party.
Once you have signed with Rothrock, we help you write the notice to the old manager so it lists exactly what must be handed over and by when. Keep the tone businesslike. A cooperative exit is faster for everyone, including your tenant.
Security deposits: the item that must not get lost
The tenant's security deposit, and any pet deposit, is money you owe back to the tenant under Texas law, less proper deductions, within 30 days after they move out and give a forwarding address. That duty stays with the owner no matter who held the money. If the deposit disappears in a manager change, you can still owe it.
Ask the old manager to transfer the full deposit amount, along with a ledger showing the amount received and when. Rothrock then holds it and accounts for it in your owner portal. If you have been managing the home yourself and the deposit is in your own account, the same rule applies: transfer it so it is accounted for when the tenant moves out.
The tenant file and records to request
- The current signed lease, every renewal and every addendum (pet, HOA, utilities, lead paint where it applies).
- The tenant's application and contact details, including emergency contacts.
- Move-in inspection report and photos. These decide what can be charged to the deposit later, so they matter more than almost anything else.
- Rent ledger showing payments, late fees and any balance owed today.
- Any notices sent to the tenant, such as lease violations or notices to vacate.
- Repair history for the last year or two, with vendor names and any open work orders.
- Warranties, the home warranty contract, and appliance and HVAC service records.
- HOA contact, account number and any open violation letters.
- Utility arrangements: what the tenant pays and what the owner pays.
Keys, codes and access
Collect every key the old manager holds: house keys, mailbox key, garage remotes, gate and pool fobs, and lockbox codes. Ask for alarm and smart lock codes too. If keys cannot all be accounted for, or a former manager's vendors had access, rekeying after the handoff is a reasonable step.
Telling the tenant
Your tenant's lease does not end because the manager changes. The terms, the rent amount and the deposit all carry over. What changes is who they pay, who they call for repairs, and how they reach the office.
The tenant should hear this in writing, from you or with your authorization, before the first rent due date under Rothrock. The letter states the effective date, that the lease continues unchanged, that the deposit has transferred, and where to pay from that date. Rothrock then sends an invitation to the tenant platform, where the tenant can pay rent or set up autopay, send repair requests with photos and message the team. If the tenant had autopay with the old manager, they should cancel it so they do not pay twice.
We also introduce ourselves by phone or message and, with notice, schedule an early inspection. That gives us a baseline of the home's condition under our management and gives the tenant a chance to raise any repairs that were waiting.
If you have been managing the home yourself
The steps are the same, with you as the outgoing manager. Gather the lease, the move-in photos if you took them, the deposit, the payment history and the keys. Missing pieces are common and fixable: if there is no move-in inspection, we document the home as it stands now and note the date. Tell the tenant in writing where rent goes from now on, and stop accepting rent personally once the switch date passes, so there is one clear record.
The first month after the switch
Expect a short period of tidying up: a final accounting from the old manager, a last owner payout from them, and maybe a work order that needs to be finished. Your owner portal starts with the transferred deposit, the lease, and the first month's rent and statement. From there, payouts arrive by direct deposit on the set day each month.
Questions
Can I change property managers in the middle of a lease?
Yes. The tenant's lease stays in force when the manager changes. The tenant keeps the same terms and rent; only the payment method and contact change. Check your current management agreement for its notice period and any fees.
What happens to the security deposit when I switch property managers?
The old manager should transfer the full deposit, with a record of the amount, to you or the new manager. Under Texas law the owner remains responsible for refunding it, so make sure it moves with the file.
How do I tell my tenant about a new property manager?
Send a written notice before the next rent due date stating the effective date, that the lease and deposit carry over, and where to pay rent from then on. The new manager then sets up the tenant's online account.
How much notice do I have to give my property manager?
It depends on your management agreement. Many allow either side to end it with written notice, often 30 days, but read the termination section for the exact period, delivery method and any fees.
Can I switch from managing my rental myself to a property manager?
Yes. Hand over the lease, deposit, payment history, inspection photos and keys, and tell the tenant in writing where to pay. If records are missing, the new manager documents the home's current condition.
General information about Texas rules, not legal advice. For a specific situation, speak to a Texas attorney.